


The Land of the Silenced (is Standing Up)

by TakingOverMidnight3482



Category: Original Work
Genre: Black Lives Matter, Gay Rights, Other, Poetry, Trans rights, angry poetry, queer rights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25460653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TakingOverMidnight3482/pseuds/TakingOverMidnight3482
Summary: The silenced are tired of being silent for people who don't bother to listen anyway.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 13





	The Land of the Silenced (is Standing Up)

**Author's Note:**

> Posting this here mostly so I can have a backup of it, but also because I don't post my personal work very often, and I wrote this on a whim and was actually kind of happy with it. 
> 
> No hate in the comments - constructive criticism of the actual poem is allowed, since that's not my usual style, but hate comments, whether on race, sexuality, or anything else, will be deleted and the commenter blocked, if applicable. Don't test me. 
> 
> Wrote this while listening to, "Black Like Me," by Mickey Guyton. Really amazing song, it's on Spotify if you're interested. 
> 
> Please note: I'm white and cis, so if you see anything in here that might come off as disrespectful, please don't be afraid to tell me. I tried to be as careful as possible, but I understand that I cannot begin to understand the experiences of people of color and trans people, so if you are one of those categories and something is iffy, please let me know. I will work to change it or delete that specific portion if necessary.
> 
> Trigger Warnings for just general mention of murder, rape, and assault. Nothing is in explicit detail, but these are all mentioned in passing.

* * *

~

In the land of the free and the home of the brave

Are veterans in the streets, begging for change

In the brims of their hats with scars on their skin

And people walk by and think “What happened to him?”

Because our government cares more for power and oil

Than the men and the women they sent out to toil

Who were often put in an unfortunate place

Where they said "Yes" to war 'cause they had no other choice.

~

In the land of the brave and the home of the free,

Women still deal with misogyny.

Little girls are told “Their shoulders are too revealing,”

And women who’re clothed are called unappealing.

“It was her fault, she wore that cute dress.”

She wore it for her, and not to impress.

Women make less than each man is paid

For doing the same work, and then being a maid

While husbands sit by, on their asses and watch

Sports on TV, claim the chair as “Their Spot.”

~

In the land of the stolen and the home of the wronged,

Natives are told “Go home, you don’t belong.”

As if they weren’t here first, working the land

Making this country so bright and so grand.

Until white’s came along and murdered and pillaged

And raped every woman and burned every village.

And then muddled the history to this very day

So that little kids think Columbus was brave.

~

In the land of the cowards and the land of the slaved,

Black people walk outside each day to day

And get called the N-Word and “ghetto” and violent

The men are shot down, the women forced silent.

And little black kids who laugh, play, and roam

With water guns, skittles, some just sleeping at home

Are injured and killed with little regard

For the fact that they’re children, playing out in the yard.

And the cops who destroy them, rip their families apart?

Were “scared for their lives,” so they shot from the start.

~

In the land of the hurt and the home of the shunned,

Queer youth are kicked out by supposed loved ones.

And told “you’ll go to hell, you’ve sinned, you’re a shame!”

As if God didn’t tell them He loved all the same.

Trans people denied health and care for their parts

After deciding their body wasn’t right for their heart

Because when we said “separation of the church and the state,”

We decided it only applied to cis-straights.

~

In the land of the angered and the home of the free

We’re standing up again for our liberty

And being pushed down by those who claim

To love our country despite all it’s shame.

How can you say you love something so tarnished,

Much more than those who have pulled out the varnish?

And are trying in vain to buff out the spots

That you’ve rubbed in for years and then said “I forgot.”

Is it not more patriotic to try and fix faults?

Instead of ignoring the torment until it crumbles and jolts?

The pavement is cracking under your feet,

So stop stomping on us, and help us repave the streets.

~

* * *


End file.
